Trunk will not open from inside or out unless key is used
2016 Hyundai Azera
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Azera years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 4 of 15 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
15 reportsI have been driving for 55 years, so I have a pretty good handle on "normal" as it pertains to driving. For the last couple of years I have noticed that the steering on my car "sticks" as I travel on nearly straight roads. It does not seem to pose a safety risk, but is very annoying as it causes the driver to over correct steeri…
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I have been driving for 55 years, so I have a pretty good handle on "normal" as it pertains to driving. For the last couple of years I have noticed that the steering on my car "sticks" as I travel on nearly straight roads. It does not seem to pose a safety risk, but is very annoying as it causes the driver to over correct steering when it breaks free of the "sticking". This is not an occasional event, but a continuous, ongoing one. It is not noticeable when making turns. I have never had this problem analyzed due to the dealership costs.
THE STEERING WOULD ALMOST LOCK UP WHEN TRYING TO MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS. DOESN'T SEEM TO HAPPEN (OR I HAVE NOT NOT NOTICED IT) IN TOWN, BUT DEFINITELY NOTICABLE DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. I FEEL THIS TO BE A HAZARD IN CASE I NEED TO MAKE A SUDDEN STEERING CHANGE. BROUGHT IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INDICATED IT WAS AN ALIGNME…
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THE STEERING WOULD ALMOST LOCK UP WHEN TRYING TO MAKE SMALL ADJUSTMENTS. DOESN'T SEEM TO HAPPEN (OR I HAVE NOT NOT NOTICED IT) IN TOWN, BUT DEFINITELY NOTICABLE DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. I FEEL THIS TO BE A HAZARD IN CASE I NEED TO MAKE A SUDDEN STEERING CHANGE. BROUGHT IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INDICATED IT WAS AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE, NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. PAID $120 FOR ALIGNMENT AND IT SEEMED TO BE OK FOR A LITTLE BIT. ISSUE IS BACK NOW 11,000 MILES LATER. I FOUND A TSB ON A SIMILAR ISSUE, WHICH I NOTED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE NOT RELATED.
THE STEERING SEEMS TO "LOCK" OR STICK IN POSITION WHILE DRIVING. IT SOMETIME TAKES CONSIDERABLE FORCE TO MAKE THE STEERING TURN,. THE ACTION NEEDED TO "BREAK" THE STEERING FREE CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. AT HIGHWAY SPEED, ESPECIALLY UNDER SLIPPERY CONDITIONS, THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS ALSO …
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THE STEERING SEEMS TO "LOCK" OR STICK IN POSITION WHILE DRIVING. IT SOMETIME TAKES CONSIDERABLE FORCE TO MAKE THE STEERING TURN,. THE ACTION NEEDED TO "BREAK" THE STEERING FREE CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. AT HIGHWAY SPEED, ESPECIALLY UNDER SLIPPERY CONDITIONS, THIS COULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS ALSO NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE TURNING. WE LEASED THE CAN WHEN IT WAS NEW AND PURCHASED IT WHEN THE LEASE WAS EXPIRED, SO I KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS VEHICLE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACCIDENTS OR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE SO FAR. THE VEHICLE HAS 32,000 MILES ON IT NOW. THIS CONDITION HAS GOTTEN WORSE IN THE LAST MONTH. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU COULD GIVE WITH THIS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 HYUNDAI AZERA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, IT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO A TRAIN. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DAYTONA HYUNDAI (901…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 HYUNDAI AZERA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, IT BEGAN TO ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO A TRAIN. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DAYTONA HYUNDAI (901 N NOVA RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32117) AND THEN TRANSFERRED TO AN UNKNOWN BODY SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900.
Official recalls
121V619000 · Latches/locks/linkages:trunk Lid:latch
Aug 6, 2021
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Sonata, 2016-2018 Sonata Hybrid, 2018-2020 Accent, and 2016-2017 Azera vehicles. The trunk latch may become damaged, preventing the opening of the trunk from the inside. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 401, "Internal Trunk Release."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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